Posts Tagged Green Guise
Green Guise: Chevy Volt’s 230 MPG rating is misleading.
Posted by Jeffrey in Green Guise on August 17th, 2009
Chevrolet announced on Aug. 11 that the upcoming Volt will get 230 miles per gallon. Don’t get too excited though—that number is a bit misleading. In fact, even the EPA has said that it is yet to confirm that number.
The Volt will have an electric-only range of about 40 miles. After the batteries are drained, a gas-powered generator will start up and recharge the batteries as the vehicle is driving. Chevy says that with the gas generator the range will be extended by about 300 miles. So, the total range is 340 miles on a full battery and a tank of gas, which is expected to be about eight gallons. That is, if my math is correct, about 43 mpg.
But what if you drove 30 miles every day for a month and recharged the vehicle every night? That would be about 900 miles without using a drop of gasoline. How do you calculate the mpg then?
So, how did they come up with 230 mpg? That number is a bit complicated. The EPA has a draft method to convert electricity usage to a miles-per-gallon equivalent. This calculation is more of an energy usage comparison to help consumers get an idea of the cost to operate the vehicle. The EPA realized some time ago that consumers needed a way to compare energy consumption of standard vehicles to alternative fuel vehicles, such as plug-ins and EVs. That’s where this formula comes in. Unfortunately, I don’t fully understand it, so if you do, please help us out.
There has been tons of chatter on the internet about Chevy’s 230 mpg marketing, including this and this. Certainly, Chevy nailed their viral marketing leading up to the announcement. Plenty of forums had people guessing, and some people did some real investigation trying to undercover what the vague 230 ads were talking about.
Actual range and electricity costs for the Volt will vary significantly depending on driving habits and utility rates. If you start with a full charge and a full tank and then drive a very long distance, then you’re going to rely more on gasoline. If you keep all your trips short and recharge as frequently as possible, then you’ll be relying on electricity.
However, maybe Chevy is doing us a favor? If we’re trying to compare energy consumption, then the EPA formula is something to consider. For the average consumer, will the Chevy Volt really consume 1/10th as much energy as a car rated at 23 mpg? As far as I can tell from the absurdly complex EPA document, I think that’s what the formula, and the Volt’s massive rating, is trying to tell us.
Ultimately, be ready for mass confusion when consumers think they’ll get 1,880 miles of travel off an eight-gallon tank and a full charge.
Green Guise: Volkswagen turns its back on biodiesel
Posted by Jeffrey in Green Guise on August 3rd, 2009
We’re keen on some of the new clean diesel technology that’s making its way into the United States: great performance, great fuel efficiency, and the cleanest diesel emissions ever. What we’re not keen on is what is happening with new diesels and biodiesel compatibility. More accurately, biodiesel incompatibility.
Volkswagen TDIs used to be the best choice for those wanting to cut their emissions with biodiesel. After VW took a break with diesels for the 2007 due to changing EPA rules, they came back with a shocker: biodiesel beyond B5 is a no-go.
Sure, the new “Clean Diesel” Volkswagens have much cleaner diesel emissions than their previous generation counterparts. But why would Volkswagen shy away from cutting emissions even more by keeping their TDIs as biodiesel-compatible as possible?
One of our experts, Tony Cutler, here at the Green Car Company pointed out that, “The newer 2008+ diesels use a process called late post-injection. This process involves injecting a small amount of fuel into the engine post-combustion. With regular petrol diesel this isn’t an issue, because it has a lower flashpoint than Biodiesel. A higher flashpoint however, means a little bit of Biodiesel may still be left leading to oil dilution.” There is an in-depth technological explanation why biodiesel above B5 is not good for the new TDI engine, but it’s shocking that VW would settle on a technology that limits the consumer’s ability to be as Green as possible.
Tony added, “If Volkswagen implemented a process called “exhaust stream” injection, rather than using late post-injection it would accomplish the same goal (reducing emissions) but would also allow for the use of Biodiesel without the damaging effects.”
Back on the Volkswagen website, they have a fancy page with a carbon offset counter on it. If they had the foresight to keep biodiesel running in their engines, then perhaps their offset counter wouldn’t seem like a bad joke.
Ultimately, if you want to run biodiesel, don’t buy a new VW TDI. In fact, don’t buy any of the new diesels that are out now, which all seem to rely on the same technology. Find yourself a 2006 or older TDI because the “2009 Green Car of the Year” doesn’t seem to be as green as it should be.
Most importantly, take a few moments to visit www.SaveBiodiesel.org to learn more about the issue and to sign their petition.
Auto manufacturers are gearing up to get more diesels on American roads, but if they’re going to restrict our ability to use the biodiesel we want, then perhaps they shouldn’t waste our time.
Green Guise: The Tesla Roadster is a Green Failure
Posted by Jeffrey in Green Guise on July 27th, 2009
With all the green cheer-leading about the Tesla Roadster, it has been difficult to find the truth. However, I f found something close on The Overrated List and the reader comments:
- Part car, part bullshit. Buying one seems to require a secret handshake, a briefcase full of cash and a pinky swear to never drive the car in public.
- A good proof of concept. Not a product. I know greenies that think this is god’s gift. Come on people! it’s for rich posers. Something this impractical, is not green.
- The Tesla is a bad joke.
Let’s be clear: the Tesla Roadster is a marvelous piece of engineering. It’s beautiful, it’s fast, and it’s all electric.
It’s also ridiculously expensive at over $100,000. That’s what makes the Tesla a failure when it comes to being green. We’re facing a global climate crisis; cutting the vehicle emissions of a handful of ultra-rich people is, well, pointless. What’s next? Making luxury yachts greener?
It’s difficult to criticize any effort to be more environmentally-oriented. For the most part, it’s “why not be green?” However, adopting this kind of mindset is how the Tesla came to be. Being environmentally-orientated is not just about choosing green options; it’s also about reducing, reusing, and recycling. Am I being green if I buy an unneeded super yacht that is 20% greener that other super yachts? No, it’s still an unneeded purchase to will increase my strain on the environment.
The people who buy a Tesla Roadster suffer from what a friend of mine calls “look-at-me syndrome.” The Tesla is simply the newest option for these people to get the attention they want simply because the Tesla has won so much undeserved media attention. People know that it’s obscenely expensive, so the people who drive one must be rich. And just because it’s electric, people seem to think it’s green, so these Tesla buyers are getting a free pass on obnoxious behavior.
Instead of buying a Tesla for well over $100,000, what else could you do to be helping combat climate change? Obviously, you’ll probably still want a vehicle, and there are several options that pretty green. A Prius with the Hymotion plug-in kit is a good way to go, and you could buy about three of them for the same price of a Tesla. After you get your vehicle, you could use the rest of the money to invest in carbon offsets, green start-ups, or number of other areas that will help more than just your ego.
As for Tesla Motors, much remains to be seen. They claim that the Roadster is a jumping-off point to make more affordable electric vehicles for the masses. That’s what needs to be done. Until they get there, they’re just partners-in-crime with the ego-maniacs who buy the Roadsters.
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